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Loading...This is the iconic Dutch street food: lightly cured herring served cold with finely chopped raw onions and tangy gherkin pickles. Often eaten by holding the fish by the tail and lowering it into your mouth in one smooth motion, it is a silky, briny delicacy best enjoyed in early summer when the new-season herring is at its fattest.
Prep Time240 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Total Time240 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 290 kcalCalories
- 17 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 9 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 22 gProtein
- 1620 mgSodium
- 430 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 1.6 mgIron
- 5 mgVitamin C
- 48 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the herring cure
- 4 fresh herring fillets (sushi-grade or previously frozen at -20°C/ -4°F for 7 days to kill parasites)
- 3 tbsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
For serving
- 1 large white onion, very finely chopped
- 4 small gherkin pickles, sliced into thin rounds
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 4 slices of dense rye bread or a small baguette, optional
Directions
- Pat the herring fillets completely dry with paper towels; moisture prevents a proper cure.
- In a small glass or ceramic dish, mix the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Spread one-third of the mixture on the bottom and lay the fillets skin-side down on top.
- Cover the fillets with the remaining salt mixture, pressing gently so the cure adheres. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3–4 hours; the fish will turn opaque and firm.
- Rinse each fillet briefly under cold running water to remove excess salt, then pat dry. Slice the fillets on the diagonal into bite-sized pieces about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide.
- Arrange the herring slices on chilled plates or on top of rye bread, fanning them out slightly. Scatter the chopped onion generously over and around the fish.
- Add a small mound of sliced gherkins alongside, sprinkle with fresh dill, and serve immediately while very cold.
- Eat traditionally by lifting the tail and lowering the fish into your mouth, or with a fork if served on bread. Pair with cold jenever or a crisp pilsner.
- Store any leftover cured herring submerged in a little milk in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours for the best flavor and texture.
Cook’s Notes
- Always source sushi-grade or previously frozen herring; raw freshwater or untreated saltwater fish can carry Anisakis parasites that cause illness.
- Traditional Hollandse Nieuwe is available from May to July when the herring fat content is highest, giving the flesh its characteristic silky, almost buttery texture.
- Do not marinate longer than 4 hours or the herring will become overly salty and tough rather than tender and pleasantly briny.
- If you cannot find whole herring fillets, high-quality jarred or vacuum-packed Dutch matjes herring works as a shortcut; rinse briefly before serving.
- Serve the dish very cold — chill the plates in the freezer for 10 minutes before plating for the most authentic experience.
